Budgie Breeding Questions...

[Paloma]

Don't worry, I'm not thinking of breeding budgies!!

I just wanted to know, do budgies have a specific breeding season? I know what females look like when they are in breeding condition, and I've seen pictures of males. It was a little rough to judge Earl's beak vs. http://www.birds-online.de/allgemein/geschlecht_en.htm .

I'm guessing both Twitter (our diamond dove) and Earl (our budgie) are super hormonal right now. They spent the day playing yesterday (and pooping all over my curtains), but this morning was a different story. Twitter decided that it was time to fix up the nest- tossing all the nesting material out, putting new in, calling my husband to the nest (twitchy wings!!). I got a nice wing slap and a stern pecking. Earl has been in his cage, following Twitter (who is in her cage). She tried to peck him, but the cages are too far apart. It didn't deter him... he has been dancing and singing to her for a good 2 hours. It's a strange mash-up of budgies noises, the clicks I use to call them to breakfast (5 clicks in a row), and something that sounds like a crying kitten (or dying cat, as my husband put it). Funny stuff...

I know that Diamond Doves will breed year round if given the chance (we have the hormonal swings and the eggs to prove it). I was wondering if it's the same for budgies. Do they have a specific time of year, or is this going to be a monthly thing?

[Marrie]

It isn't so much season, as it is conditions being right. Humidity, temperature, environment, lighting, food amounts, etc. Many breeders will control all those factors to get their birds to breed only when they want them to. Control of them also can help reduce egg laying etc in females. If conditions are naturally left alone, often spring / summer is when a lot of birds will get hormonal. My tiel is going through his wanting to be on his "rubby toy" multiple times a day and trying to breed with my hand phase at the moment, so I can sympathize.

[britany]

A budgie can breed any time of the year it just depends on the temperature, and if your budgies are in the mood to breed.

[Paloma]

Well, the air conditioner seems to have cooled off the urges to breed for both of our feathery ones. They have their heat lamps and they aren't getting a draft, but less sunlight (we close the curtains in the middle of the day) and a cooler home seems to have worked like a cold shower.

Twitter destroyed her nest, and Earl is finally playing with toys.

[britany]

Oh that's so adorable!!

[maxollie]

Hi! Amanda. I wish I was so lucky. My little hen tiel, Ollie, is a "single girl" (no male around), but air conditioning, hot weather, cold weather, sunlight, no sunlight, . . . . . . will stop her from her egg laying frenzy. I just disposed of her last eggs about a week ago, and I'm determined to discourage her from laying, so she is not a very happy camper these days. I keep her in the livingroom all day. Usually she was allowed into my bedroom in the afternoon, but that just encourages her to "dream about another clutch of eggs", so the past week my little budgie, Muffin and I, have been dealing with Ollie's "temper tantrums" . . . chirping . . . cheeping . . chirping . . cheeping . . . . ALL day!! From what I've read and researched, it will take awhile for her to realize "Mom" isn't going to back down this time!! Oh the joys of "parronthood"!!